Implementation of HARQ on PUSCH for Multiple Carriers

ABSTRACT

A method for operating a network node of a wireless communication network is disclosed. The method comprises determining and/or adjusting a HARQ signaling format for a terminal configured for carrier aggregation based on a number of DL carriers and/or a number of HARQ bits configured for the terminal.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of prior U.S. application Ser. No.15/032,215, filed 26 Apr. 2016, which was the National Stage ofInternational Application PCT/SE2016/050299 filed 8 Apr. 2016, whichclaims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/210,722, filed27 Aug. 2015, and claims the benefit of the U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 62/145,887, filed 10 Apr. 2015, the entire disclosure of each beinghereby incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure pertains to wireless communication technology, inparticular in the context of the use of multi carriers or carrieraggregation.

BACKGROUND

In modern wireless communication technology, usage of carrieraggregation is becoming more and more widespread. In carrieraggregation, multiple carriers (for uplink and/or downlink) may be usedin an aggregated manner to increase data throughput. In a carrieraggregate, the carriers are usually not used equally, but are usedasymmetrically, e.g. in terms of what kind of signals are transmitted onwhich carrier. For example, there may be one or more carriers associatedto at least one Primary Cell (PCell), and one or more carriersassociated to one or more Secondary Cells (SCells). In particularimportant control signaling is often limited to the PCell. With thepossibility of using a large number of carriers (e.g., 5 or more) for acarrier aggregate, questions regarding control signaling and signalingoverhead arise, in particular if specific kinds of controls signalingassociated to a plurality of carriers is to be concentrated on a limitednumber of carriers, and/or there are different numbers of carriersaggregated for downlink than for uplink. For example one carrier may bechosen to transmit uplink HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest)signaling for a plurality of carriers of a downlink carrier aggregate).

SUMMARY

It is an object of this disclosure to describe approaches allowingefficient HARQ operation in a plurality of carrier aggregationscenarios, in particular in scenarios with a large number of aggregatedcarriers.

According to one approach, there is disclosed a method for operating anetwork node of a wireless communication network. The method comprisesdetermining and/or adjusting a HARQ signaling format for a terminalconfigured for carrier aggregation based on a number of downlink (DL)carriers and/or a number of HARQ bits configured for the terminal. Themethod may comprise configuring the terminal for and/or with thedetermined and/or adjusted HARQ signaling format.

A network node for a wireless communication network may be considered.The network node is adapted for determining and/or adjusting a HARQsignaling format for a terminal configured for carrier aggregation basedon a number of DL carriers and/or a number of HARQ bits configured forthe terminal. The network node may be adapted for configuring theterminal for and/or with the determined and/or adjusted HARQ signalingformat.

Moreover, there is proposed a method for operating a terminal in awireless communication network. The terminal is configured for carrieraggregation. The method comprises determining and/or adjusting a HARQsignaling format of the terminal based on a number of DL carriers and/ora number of HARQ bits configured for the terminal. The method maycomprise transmitting HARQ feedback based on the HARQ signaling format.

A terminal for a wireless communication network is also disclosed. Theterminal is adapted for carrier aggregation. Furthermore, the terminalis adapted for determining and/or adjusting a HARQ signaling formatbased on a number of DL carriers and/or a number of HARQ bits configuredfor the terminal. The terminal may also be adapted for transmitting HARQfeedback based on the HARQ signaling format.

There is also disclosed a program product comprising code executable bycontrol circuitry, the code causing the control circuitry to carry outand/or control any one of the methods for operating a terminal ornetwork node as described herein, in particular if executed on controlcircuitry, which may be control circuitry of a terminal or a networknode as described herein.

Moreover, there is disclosed a storage medium storing at least any oneof the program products described herein and/or code executable bycontrol circuitry, the code causing the control circuitry to performand/or control at least any one of the methods described herein.

The approaches described facilitate efficient HARQ operating by allowingadapting the HARQ signaling format to changing carrier aggregationscenarios, respectively to utilize a suitable HARQ signaling format forscenarios with a large number of carriers being aggregated, inparticular in the downlink. The network node is enabled to adapt to HARQsignaling from the terminal and/or to configure the terminal for suchsignaling, based on the carrier aggregation scenario, which may beconsidered to be represented or parametrized by the number of DLcarriers and/or the HARQ bits. The HARQ bits may represent the number ofHARQ bits associated to the HARQ feedback pertaining to the DL carriers,the HARQ feedback to be transmitted by the terminal on the uplink (UL).

Generally, determining and/or adjusting a HARQ signaling format maycomprise determining and/or adjusting a coding, in particular errordetection coding. The coding may pertain to the coding of the HARQ bitsand/or HARQ feedback. Accordingly, the size of data blocks including theHARQ bits/feedback may be adapted, as well as the likelihood of errorsin (respectively, error detection and/or correction of) the HARQbits/feedback.

It may be considered that determining and/or adjusting a HARQ signalingformat comprises determining and/or adjusting a modulation, and/or anumber of symbols Q′ used for modulation. This facilitates adapting theresources (time/frequency resources) utilized for HARQ feedback, inparticular adapting them to the carrier aggregation scenario.Determining and/or adjusting a HARQ signaling format may compriseadjusting and/or determining a HARQ-ACK offset, β_(offset) ^(PUSCH).This offset is particularly suitable to adapt the number of symbols.

It may generally be considered that determining and/or adjusting a HARQsignaling format may comprise determining whether the number of HARQbits is above a bit threshold, in particular a bit threshold of 22 bits,and/or whether the number of DL carriers is above 5. Determining and/oradjusting the HARQ signaling format may be based on determining whetherthe number of HARQ bits is above a bit threshold, in particular a bitthreshold of 22 bits, and/or whether the number of DL carriers is above5.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings are provided to illustrate concepts and approaches of thedisclosure and are not intended as limitation. The drawings comprise:

FIG. 1, showing multiplexing of control signaling with UL-SCH data;

FIG. 2, showing an exemplary terminal;

FIG. 3, showing an exemplary network node;

FIG. 4, showing an exemplary method for operating a network node;

FIG. 5, showing another exemplary network node;

FIG. 6, showing an exemplary method for operating a terminal; and

FIG. 7, showing another exemplary terminal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The use of LTE carrier aggregation (CA), introduced in Rel-10 andenhanced in Rel-11, provides means to increase the peak data rates,system capacity and user experience by aggregating radio resources frommultiple carriers that may reside in the same band or different bandsand, for the case of inter-band TDD CA, may be configured with differentUL/DL configurations. In Rel-12, carrier aggregation between TDD and FDDserving cells is introduced to support UE connecting to themsimultaneously. The concepts described herein are of particular use forLTE carrier aggregation, but may also be relevant for other RATsupporting CA.

In Rel-13, LAA (Licensed-Assisted Access) has attracted a lot ofinterest in extending the LTE carrier aggregation feature towardscapturing the spectrum opportunities of unlicensed spectrum in the 5 GHzband. WLAN operating in the 5 GHz band nowadays already supports 80 MHzin the field and 160 MHz is to follow in Wave 2 deployment of IEEE802.11ac. There are also other frequency bands, such as 3.5 GHz, whereaggregation of more than one carrier on the same band is possible, inaddition to the bands already widely in use for LTE. Enabling theutilization of at least similar bandwidths for LTE in combination withLAA as IEEE 802.11ac Wave 2 will support calls for extending the carrieraggregation framework to support more than 5 carriers. The extension ofthe CA framework beyond 5 carriers was approved to be one work item forLTE Rel-13. The objective is to support up to 32 carriers in both UL andDL.

Compared to single-carrier operation, a UE operating with CA, inparticular in the downlink, has to report feedback for more than one DLcomponent carriers. Meanwhile, a UE does not need to support DL and ULCA simultaneously. For instance, the first release of CA capable UEs inthe market only supports DL CA but not UL CA. This is also theunderlying assumption in the 3GPP RAN4 standardization. Therefore, anenhanced UL control channel, i.e. PUCCH format 3 was introduced for CAduring Rel-10 timeframe. However, in order to support more componentcarriers in Rel-13, the UL control channel capacity becomes alimitation.

HARQ and/or CSI feedback over UL SCH data is discussed in the following.When UCI (Uplink Control Information) is to be transmitted in a subframein which the UE has been allocated transmission resources for the PUSCH,the UCI is multiplexed together with the UL-SCH data prior to DFTspreading, in order to preserve the low CM single-carrier property; thePUCCH is never transmitted in the same subframe as the PUSCH in Releases8 and 9. The multiplexing of CQI/PMI, HARQ ACK/NACK, and RI with thePUSCH data symbols onto uplink resource elements (REs) is shown in FIG.1.

The number of REs used for ACK/NACK is based on the MCS assigned forβ_(offset) ^(HARQ-ACK), which is semi-statically configured byhigher-layer signaling. The HARQ ACK/NACK resources are mapped toSC-FDMA symbols by puncturing the UL-SCH PUSCH data. Positions next tothe RS are used, so as to benefit from the best possible channelestimation. The maximum amount of resource for HARQ ACK/NACK is 4SC-FDMA symbols. The coded RI symbols are placed next to the HARQACK/NACK symbol positions irrespective of whether ACK/NACK is actuallypresent in a given subframe. The modulation of the 1- or 2-bit ACK/NACKor RI is such that the Euclidean distance of the modulation symbolscarrying ACK/NACK and RI is maximized. The outermost constellationpoints of the higher-order 16/64-QAM PUSCH modulations are used,resulting in increased transmit power for ACK/NACK/RI relative to theaverage PUSCH data power.

In 3GPP TS36.212, the channel coding of control information is specifiedin 5.2.2.6 where the number of coded modulation symbols per layer forHARQ are given by below equations.

For the case when only one transport block is transmitted in the PUSCH

$\begin{matrix}{Q^{\prime} = {\min\left( {\left\lceil \frac{\begin{matrix}{O \cdot M_{sc}^{{PUSCH}\text{-}{initial}} \cdot} \\{N_{symb}^{{PUSCH}\text{-}{initial}} \cdot \beta_{offset}^{PUSCH}}\end{matrix}}{\sum\limits_{r = 0}^{C - 1}\; K_{r}} \right\rceil,{4 \cdot M_{sc}^{PUSCH}}} \right)}} & \left( {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 1} \right)\end{matrix}$

For the case when two transport blocks are transmitted in the PUSCH

Q′=max[min(Q′ _(temp),4·M _(sc) ^(PUSCH)),Q′ _(min)] with

$\begin{matrix}{Q_{temp}^{\prime} = \left\lceil \frac{\begin{matrix}\begin{matrix}{O \cdot M_{sc}^{{PUSCH}\text{-}{{initial}{(1)}}} \cdot N_{symb}^{{PUSCH}\text{-}{{initial}{(1)}}} \cdot} \\{M_{sc}^{{PUSCH}\text{-}{{initial}{(2)}}} \cdot N_{symb}^{{PUSCH}\text{-}{{initial}{(2)}}} \cdot}\end{matrix} \\\beta_{offset}^{PUSCH}\end{matrix}}{\begin{matrix}\begin{matrix}{\sum\limits_{r = 0}^{C^{(1)} - 1}\; {K_{r}^{(1)} \cdot M_{sc}^{{PUSCH}\text{-}{{initial}{(2)}}} \cdot}} \\{N_{symb}^{{PUSCH}\text{-}{{initial}{(2)}}} + {\sum\limits_{r = 0}^{C^{(2)} - 1}\; {K_{r}^{(2)} \cdot}}}\end{matrix} \\{M_{sc}^{{PUSCH}\text{-}{{initial}{(1)}}} \cdot N_{symb}^{{PUSCH}\text{-}{{initial}{(1)}}}}\end{matrix}} \right\rceil} & \left( {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 2} \right)\end{matrix}$

The denotation of the parameters can be found in 3GPP TS36.212. Inshort, the number of coded modulation symbols per layer may depend onthe number of HARQ-ACK bits O, and/or HARQ-ACK offset β_(offset)^(PUSCH) and/or the code rate on PUSCH. Note that HARQ-ACK offsetβ_(offset) ^(PUSCH) is signaled by a high layer index according to Table8.6.3-1 in 3GPP TS 36.213, which is copied below. Generally, theHARQ-ACK offset may be mapped and/or represented by a correspondingvalue or parameter or index, e.g. I_(offset) ^(HARQ-ACK) orI_(offset,MC) ^(HARQ-ACK), which may be an index for mapping to a table,e.g. table 1 below. Accordingly, Q′ may be based on and/or be dependenton β_(offset) ^(PUSCH).

Table 1 shows a mapping of HARQ-ACK offset values and the index signaledby higher layers (Table 8.6.3-1 in 3GPP TS 36.213).

I_(offset) ^(HARQ-ACK) or I_(offset, MC) ^(HARQ-ACK) β_(offset)^(HARQ-ACK) 0 2.000 1 2.500 2 3.125 3 4.000 4 5.000 5 6.250 6 8.000 710.000 8 12.625 9 15.875 10 20.000 11 31.000 12 50.000 13 80.000 14126.000 15 1.0

HARQ-ACK bits for 32 DLCCs are discussed in the following. The number ofHARQ-ACK bits increases linearly with the number of aggregated DLcarriers. When there are up to 32 configured DL CCs:

-   -   FDD: there are up to 64 HARQ-ACK bits per III (Rank 2        transmission)    -   TDD: the number of HARQ-ACK bits to be feedback depends on the        number of configured CCs and UL/DL subframe configuration of the        DL CCs. Assume there are 32 DL CCs with UL/DL subframe        configuration 2 and transmission mode 3, there are up to 256        (32*4*2) HARQ-ACK bits.

Due to aggregation of a large number of DL carriers, the HARQ-ACK bitsmay increase significantly and occupy many resources on PUSCH. This mayresult in excessive puncturing on PUSCH, which affects the datatransmissions on PUSCH.

One observation is that with few HARQ-ACK bits, a large value ofβ_(offset) ^(PUSCH) may be needed in order to perform DTX detection, inparticular to determine of HARQ-ACK bits are included in thetransmission or not. With increasing number of HARQ-ACK bits, theefforts and problems of performing DTX detection increase as well.

The reason is that since the number of symbols Q′ is proportional to thenumber of HARQ-ACK bits, the number of possible transmission hypothesesfor the DTX case grows faster than the number of allowed codewords forthe non-DTX case. Thus when a fixed value of β_(offset) ^(PUSCH) is usedindependently of the number of HARQ-ACK bits, there will be inefficientuse of PUSCH resources due to excessive puncturing.

There is disclosed an approach to adjust the number of HARQ-ACKresources on PUSCH in accordance with the number of configured DLcarriers, in particular by determining and/or adjusting the HARQ-ACKoffset β_(offset) ^(PUSCH) based on the number of configured DLcarriers.

The transmission of HARQ-ACK on PUSCH is optimized for the case whenthere are a large number of DL carriers and hence many HARQ-ACK bits.This approach provides robustness on HARQ-ACK transmission as well asbetter data transmission on PUSCH. Generally, there is described amethod for operating a network node comprising, and/or a network nodeadapted for and/or comprising a module (e.g. a HARQ module or HARQsignaling module) for, determining and/or adjusting a HARQ signalingformat, e.g. for HARQ/ACK transmission by a terminal, based on a numberof DL carriers and/or a number of HARQ information bits (e.g. ACK/NACKbits) configured for the terminal, in particular carriers configured forcarrier aggregation (e.g. DL carrier aggregation) and/or HARQinformation bits associated to one or more such carriers. The module maycomprise and/or be implemented as a modulation module, e.g. as describedherein. Alternatively or additionally, the module may comprise and/or beimplemented as a coding module.

Determining and/or adjusting a HARQ signaling format generally maycomprise determining and/or adjusting a coding, e.g. a HARQ coding, e.g.by a coding module, which may be a module for determining and/oradjusting an encoding or coding, e.g. a HARQ coding. An encoding orcoding may generally comprise channel coding. In particular, a codingmay identify or indicate a code and/or coding type and/or algorithm tobe used for coding and/or decoding. Determining and/or adjusting a HARQsignaling format and/or coding and/or modulation based on the number ofDL carriers and/or number of HARQ information bits may comprise changingbetween, and/or using, different codings and/or modulations based on thenumber of DL carriers and/or number of HARQ information bits (which maybe referred to as HARQ bits or HARQ-ACK bits, the latter in particularif they indicate ACK/NACK), in particular changing between, and/orusing, a first format, e.g. first coding, e.g. channel coding, and/orfirst modulation, and a second format, e.g. second coding, e.g. channelcoding, and/or second modulation. Determining and/or adjusting on anumber (e.g. of DL carriers and/or HARQ bits) may comprise determiningwhether the number is above (and/or below or equal) to a predeterminedthreshold, e.g. a bit threshold (for HARQ bits, which in particular maybe 22). Alternatively or additionally, determining and/or adjusting aHARQ signaling format generally may comprise determining and/oradjusting a modulation, and/or a number of symbols Q′ used formodulation, for HARQ/ACK transmission by a terminal based on a number ofDL carriers and/or HARQ bits configured for the terminal, in particularcarriers configured for carrier aggregation (e.g. DL carrieraggregation).

Generally, there is described a method for operating a network nodecomprising, and/or a network node adapted for and/or comprising amodulation module for, determining and/or adjusting a modulation, and/ora number of symbols Q′ used for modulation, for HARQ/ACK transmission bya terminal based on a number of DL carriers and/or HARQ bits configuredfor the terminal, in particular carriers configured for carrieraggregation (e.g. DL carrier aggregation).

Additionally or alternatively, a method for operating a network nodegenerally may comprise, and/or the network node may be adapted forand/or comprise a configuring module for, configuring the terminal forand/or with the determined and/or adjusted modulation and/or the HARQsignaling format and/or coding.

Generally, determining and/or adjusting (e.g., a HARQ signaling format)may be considered to be based on a number of DL carriers if it takesinto account the total number of carriers and/or a distribution ofcarriers into and/or number of carriers of different types (e.g.legacy/non-legacy and/or licensed and/or non-licensed), and/or if itconsiders the number of HARQ bits to be used for the DL carriers.

Configuring the terminal may comprise sending, e.g. to the terminaland/or UE, allocation data, e.g. one or more parameters and/or valuesrepresenting and/or indicating and/or identifying the modulation and/orHARQ signaling format and/or coding. Configuring may be performed inparticular via RRC signaling and/or RRC communication or sending.

Moreover, there is disclosed a method for operating a terminalcomprising, and/or a terminal adapted for and/or comprising a receivingmodule for receiving allocation data indicating a modulation, and/or anumber of symbols Q′ used for modulation, and/or a HARQ signalingformat, and/or coding, for HARQ/ACK transmission (in particular for anumber of DL carriers configured for the terminal, which may be carrieraggregated) by the terminal and/or configuring the terminal accordingly.The receiving and/or configuring may be performed via RRC signalingand/or RRC communication or sending.

Alternatively or additionally, there may be considered a method foroperating a terminal comprising, and/or a terminal adapted for and/orcomprising a determining module for, determining and/or adjusting a HARQsignaling format and/or coding and/or modulation and/or number ofsymbols Q′ used for modulation based on the number of DL carriers and/orthe number of HARQ bits to be used, e.g. for HARQ transmission or HARQfeedback (HARQ feedback may generally be seen as a form of HARQtransmission). Determining and/or adjusting may generally compriseobtaining the number of DL carriers and/or number of HARQ bits to beused, e.g. by reading corresponding data from a memory and/or based on aconfiguration of the terminal.

The terminal may determine and/or adjust (e.g. by configuring itselfaccordingly) the HARQ signaling format and/or modulation and/or numberof symbols and/or coding, based on the received allocation data, and/ormay be adapted accordingly and/or comprise a HARQ format module for suchdetermining and/or adjusting.

Alternatively or additionally, the method may comprise, and/or theterminal may be adapted for and/or comprise a transmitting module for,transmitting HARQ feedback and/or HARQ transmission (e.g. HARQ dataand/or a corresponding block) based on the allocation data and/or basedon the HARQ signaling format and/or coding and/or modulation and/ornumber of symbols, which may be based on the received data and/or thenumber of DL carriers or HARQ bits. Such transmitting may compriseencoding and/or modulating, e.g. the HARQ feedback and/or HARQ bitsaccording to the HARQ signaling format and/or coding and/or modulationand/or number of symbols.

In a variant, there may be considered a method for operating a networknode comprising, and/or a network node adapted for and/or comprising anoffset module for: adjusting and/or determining a HARQ-ACK offsetβ_(offset) ^(PUSCH) (the offset or HARQ-ACK offset) and/or a valuethereof and/or a value or parameter representing (e.g. allowing 1-to-1mapping to) the offset (which may also be referred to as the offset)based on the number of configured DL carriers and/or HARQ bitsconfigured for a terminal. Adjusting and/or determining the offsetand/or the corresponding value may comprise determining and/or adjustinga parameter or value representing the offset, e.g. the index I_(offset)^(HARQ-ACK) or I_(offset,MC) ^(HARQ-ACK) (the index), which may berepresented on a table mapping the index to the offset or value.Determining and/or adjusting the offset may be seen as part of and/orimplementation of determining and/or adjusting a modulation, and/or anumber of symbols Q′ used for modulation, for HARQ/ACK transmission bythe terminal (as outlined herein, the modulation/the number Q′ aredependent on the offset).

A method for operating a network node may comprise, and/or the networknode may be adapted for and/or comprise a sending module for, sending,e.g. to the terminal and/or UE, a parameter and/or value representingthe offset, in particular sending the index and/or a value representingthe index, e.g. via RRC signaling. Such sending may be seen as part ofand/or implemented as configuring the terminal.

Determining and/or adjusting the offset may generally be performed suchthat and/or include, with increasing number of configured DL carriers(in a carrier aggregation for the terminal) and/or increasing number ofHARQ-ACK bits to be transmitted (for the configured DL carriers), adecreasing (e.g. monotonous decreasing) HARQ-ACK offset to be used. Itmay generally be considered that determining and/or adjusting the HARQsignaling format, e.g. a channel coding or offset, may compriseobtaining the number of DL carriers configured for the terminal (e.g.for a carrier aggregation/aggregate) and/or the number of HARQ bits tobe used. Obtaining data, e.g. the number of configured DL carriers,generally may comprise reading (e.g. from a memory and/or table) and/orreceiving (e.g. from the network and/or another network node and/or theterminal) and/or determining (e.g. calculating based on available data,which may be read and/or received data). The network node may be adaptedfor such obtaining and/or comprise an obtaining module for suchobtaining.

Generally, the (configured) DL carriers for a terminal may be the DLcarriers provided and/or configured and/or used (e.g. by the network, inparticular the network node) for carrier aggregation and/or for acarrier aggregate, in particular for a terminal and/or connecting to theterminal and/or connecting the terminal to the network, in particular tothe network node.

A method for operating a network node may comprise providing, and/or thenetwork node may comprise, e.g. stored in a memory, which may beaccessible to control circuitry of the network node and/or the offsetmodule, one or more different and/or pre-defined mapping tables, whereineach mapping table provides a mapping of an offset/offset value to anindex; different table may provide different mappings. Determiningand/or adjusting the offset may comprise choosing and/or selectingand/or determining one of the different tables to select and/ordetermine and/or adjust the offset (and/or corresponding index), inparticular based on the number of DL carriers. A pre-defined mappingtable may e.g. a mapping table stored and/or programmed into a memory,in particular in a static manner.

Generally, a different mapping table may result from manipulating,and/or performing a mathematical transformation on, a pre-defined and/orgiven table (e.g. scaling by a given factor, for example multiplyingeach offset in a table with a constant factor, which may depend on thenumber of configured DL carriers). In particular, such manipulating maybe performed such that the offset (e.g., the offset for each index) issmaller for larger numbers of configured DL carriers (e.g., for eachindex the corresponding offset in the different tables is smaller forthe table/s associated to higher number of configured DL carriers). Itmay be considered that different codings or corresponding indicators arestored in a memory of the network node (and/or terminal), e.g. in atable structure.

In a variant, determining and/or adjusting the offset may comprisedetermining that and/or whether the number of configured DL carriers isabove a predetermined threshold N, e.g. 5, and/or selecting a new and/ordifferent and/or pre-defined mapping table of HARQ-ACK offset β_(offset)^(PUSCH) value and index I_(offset) ^(HARQ-ACK) or I_(offset,MC)^(HARQ-ACK), based on which the offset and/or index is determined and/oradjusted.

In one example, the mapping in current HARQ-ACK offset mapping table isscaled down by a factor of M, e.g., 2. In another example, the mappingtable of RI offset Table 8.6.3-2 in 3GPP TS 36.213 is used for HARQ-ACKoffset mapping. The motivation is to get a smaller value of HARQ-ACKoffset than the ones defined in current HARQ-ACK offset mapping tablefor larger number of configured DL carriers.

Alternatively or additionally, a new equation other than Equation 1 and2 may be used for calculating the number of coded modulated symbols Q′.

In one example, determining and/or adjusting a modulation, and/or anumber of symbols Q′ used for modulation, for HARQ/ACK transmission by aterminal may comprise determining the number of symbols Q′ as a functionof the number of configured DL carriers. In another example for the casewhen only one transport block is transmitted in the PUSCH, the number ofsymbols Q′ may be given by and/or based upon Equation (A)

${Q^{\prime} = {\min\left( {\left\lceil \frac{\begin{matrix}{O^{\gamma} \cdot M_{sc}^{{PUSCH}\text{-}{initial}} \cdot} \\{N_{symb}^{{PUSCH}\text{-}{initial}} \cdot \beta_{offset}^{PUSCH}}\end{matrix}}{\sum\limits_{r = 0}^{C - 1}\; K_{r}} \right\rceil,{4 \cdot M_{sc}^{PUSCH}}} \right)}},$

where the exponent γ gives the slope of how much Q′ is increased whenthe number of HARQ-ACK bits is increased. Determining and/or adjusting amodulation, and/or a number of symbols Q′ used for modulation, forHARQ/ACK transmission by a terminal may be based on Equation (A) and/orcomprise using Equation (A).

Generally, there may be considered that a network node like an eNB,and/or a terminal like a UE, adjusts and/or is adapted to adjust (and/orcomprises a corresponding module), the value of a HARQ-ACK offsetβ_(offset) ^(PUSCH) and/or a coding, e.g. channel coding, of HARQ-ACKbits based on the number of configured (or activated or scheduled) DLcarriers for a UE. I_(offset) ^(HARQ-ACK) I_(offset,MC) ^(HARQ-ACK) Oneprinciple for offset adjustment may comprise that the more DL carriersand/or the larger number of HARQ-ACK bits to be transmitted, the smallerHARQ-ACK offset is used. One principle for encoding adjustment maycomprise that, when the number of DL carriers is large and/or above athreshold, e.g. N, (e.g. >5), and/or a large number of HARQ-ACK bits(and/or the number of HARQ bits is above a bit threshold, e.g. 22) is tobe transmitted (e.g. >22), a different coding is used than otherwise,e.g. a convolutional code may be used or applied, and otherwise (forcases below the threshold/s), a RM (Reed-Muller) code is used.

It should generally be noted that the number of HARQ bits to be used(e.g. for HARQ feedback) may be dependent on the number of DL carriersfor which the HARQ feedback and/or a corresponding block of HARQ data isto be transmitted. In particular, the larger the number of DL carriersused, the more HARQ processes the UE will have to monitor, andcorresponding a larger number of HARQ bits may have to be transmitted.The term HARQ bits (or the corresponding number) may refer to theinformation bits before encoding. The HARQ-ACK offset index and/orsignaling format or coding to be used, e.g. channel coding scheme, maybe configured to the UE (which may thus be configured accordingly), e.g.may be sent to the UE via RRC signaling. The network node and/orconfiguring module of a network node may be adapted accordingly.

In one variant, the terminal or UE may be configured with the HARQ-ACKoffset index, which e.g. may be sent to the terminal or UE via RRCsignaling the UE. The UE may be adapted to configure itself based on thereceived HARQ-ACK offset index, in particular configure a HARQ signalingformat to be used, e.g. coding and/or modulation. For example, when alarge HARQ-ACK offset (e.g., above a predetermined offset threshold) issent to UE, the UE may configure itself, e.g. autonomously apply, afirst HARQ signaling format, e.g. a first channel coding orcorresponding scheme. When a small HARQ-ACK offset is sent to the UE,the UE may configure itself, e.g. autonomously apply, a second HARQsignaling format, e.g. a second channel coding or corresponding scheme.The first coding for example may comprise a RM code, the second codingmay comprise a convolutional code.

In another example, the terminal or UE may be configured with more thanone HARQ-ACK offset indexes, which may be sent to the UE via RRCsignaling. For example, when the number of DL carriers for a UE is abovea threshold N (e.g. 5) and/or a larger number of HARQ-ACK bits to betransmitted (or the number of HARQ-ACK bits or HARQ bits or HARQinformation bits to be transmitted is above a bit threshold) one or moreof the smaller HARQ-ACK offset may be applied and/or a convolutionalcode may be used for encoding; otherwise, one or more large HARQ-ACKoffset may be applied and/or a RM code may be used for encoding.

In a further additional or alternative example, the terminal or UE maybe configured with the HARQ signaling format, e.g. coding (encoding), inparticular with a channel coding or channel coding scheme, which may besent to the UE via RRC signaling. When a first coding scheme (like a RMcode) is applied, one or more large HARQ-ACK offset may be applied; whena second coding scheme (like a convolutional code) is applied, one ormore small HARQ-ACK offset may be applied.

In a variant, no RRC signaling is needed between eNB and UE. Rather,determining and/or adjusting the HARQ signaling format, in particularthe HARQ-ACK offset and/or the coding (channel coding) to be used, maybe based on the number of DL carriers (and/or the number of HARQ bits tobe transmitted), For example, when the number of DL carriers for a UE isabove a threshold N (e.g. 5) and/or the a larger number of HARQ-ACK bitsto be transmitted (and/or the number of HARQ bits to be transmitted isabove a bit threshold), one or more small HARQ-ACK offset/s may beapplied and/or a first channel coding like a convolutional code may beused, e.g. for encoding; otherwise, one or more large HARQ-ACK offset/smay be applied and/or a second channel coding like a RM code may beused, in particular for encoding.

Alternatively or additionally, determining and/or adjusting the HARQsignaling format based on the number of DL carriers configured for a UEor terminal and/or the number of HARQ bits to be transmitted maycomprise, when the number of configured carriers is above apredetermined threshold N, e.g. 5, and/or the number of HARQ bits isabove a bit threshold, a second mapping table of HARQ-ACK offsetβ_(offset) ^(PUSCH) value and index I_(offset) ^(HARQ-ACK) orI_(offset,MC) ^(HARQ-ACK) is used and/or a second channel coding (e.g.convolutional code) is applied, otherwise a first mapping and/or a firstchannel coding (e.g. RM code) may be used. In one example, the mappingin current HARQ-ACK offset mapping table may be scaled down (for thesecond mapping) by a factor of M, e.g., 2. In another example, themapping table of RI offset Table 8.6.3-2 in 3GPP TS 36.213 may be usedfor HARQ-ACK offset mapping. The motivation is to get a smaller value ofHARQ-ACK offset than the ones defined in current HARQ-ACK offset mappingtable for a larger number of configured DL carriers. In a furtherexample, the new equation and a second channel coding scheme(convolutional code) may be used when the number of carriers is above apredetermined threshold N, e.g. 5; otherwise the legacy equation (i.e.,Equation 1 and 2) and a first channel coding scheme (RM code) may beused.

In a further alternative or additional variant, determining and/oradjusting a modulation, and/or a number of symbols Q′ used formodulation, for HARQ/ACK transmission by a terminal may comprise usingdifferent equations based on the number of configured DL carriers (forthe terminal/in CA). For example, a new equation (e.g. Equation A) maybe used when the number of configured carriers is above a predeterminedthreshold N, e.g. 5; otherwise the legacy equation (i.e., Equation 1 and2) may be used.

Alternatively or additionally, determining and/or adjusting amodulation, and/or a number of symbols Q′ used for modulation, and/or aHARQ signaling format and/or coding for HARQ/ACK transmission by aterminal may comprise performing and/or determining encoding of HARQ-ACKinformation and/or feedback based on the number of configured DLcarriers. It may be based on the received allocation data orconfiguration. For example, HARQ-ACK information/feedback may be encodedin more than one format depending on which carriers and/or the number ofDL carriers configured in DL and/or the number of HARQ bits to be used.If the carriers that are configured belong to a legacy set of carriers(and/or a number of carriers up to 5), the HARQ-ACK bits may be codedaccording to the current legacy method in 3GPP. The size of the legacyset of carriers could be limited to N e.g. 5. The encoding may use thecurrent legacy method in order to derive the number of symbols Q′.

If at least one carrier is configured which does not belong to thelegacy set of carriers, encoding the HARQ-ACK information/feedback maybe performed and/or determined in an extended format. The extendedformat may be determined and/or defined to be able to carry moreHARQ-ACK bits (than the legacy format), e.g. up to 256 bits, as in theexample above. In another example, if the carriers that are configuredare licensed carriers, the HARQ-ACK bits are coded according to thecurrent legacy method in 3GPP; if the carriers that are configured areunlicensed carriers, the HARQ-ACK information is encoded in an extendedformat which can carry more HARQ-ACK bits.

Alternatively or additionally, HARQ-ACK information may be encoded inmore than one format depending on which carriers are scheduled in DL. Ifthe carriers that are scheduled belong to a legacy set of carriers, theHARQ-ACK bits are coded according to the current legacy method in 3GPP.The size of the legacy set of carriers could be limited to, N e.g. 5.The encoding use the current legacy method in order to derive the numberof symbols Q′.

If at least one carrier is scheduled which does not belong to the legacyset of carriers, the HARQ-ACK information is encoded in an extendedformat. The extended format may be determined and/or defined to be ableto carry more HARQ-ACK bits, e.g. up to 256 bits as in the exampleabove.

In the network node or eNB, blind detection may be done to determinewhether the terminal or UE has encoded the HARQ-ACK information usingthe legacy encoding or the extended encoding. The blind decoding may beperformed as the UE might have missed control information in DL and thentransmit with legacy encoding even if extended encoding was expectedbased on the scheduled carriers. In another example, if the carriersthat are configured are licensed carriers, the HARQ-ACK bits are codedaccording to the current legacy method in 3GPP; if the carriers that areconfigured are unlicensed carriers, the HARQ-ACK information is encodedin an extended format which can carry more HARQ-ACK bits. Generally, aterminal may be considered to be configured with a carrier, e.g. a DLcarrier, if the terminal is (or is to be, e.g. according to aconfiguration or allocation data not yet transmitted to it) scheduledand/or activated and/or has allocated resources, in particular toreceive transmissions on this carrier (e.g., by being assigned, e.g. bya corresponding transmission from a network and/or network node, acorresponding identifier and/or allocation data).

There may be considered a method for operating a network node, and/or anetwork node adapted for and/or comprising a blind detection module for,performing blind detection on HARQ/ACK feedback received from a terminalbased on at least two different HARQ signaling formats, in particularmodulations and/or different codings, in particular channel codings. Themodulations may differ regarding a number of symbols Q′ used formodulation and/or an encoding and/or a format, e.g. an extended format,which may comprise the number of bits to modulate. The format, e.g.modulations and/or coding, to be used may be determined based on thenumber of DL carriers configured for the terminal (and/or for DL carrieraggregation). One of the formats, e.g. modulations or codings, may be alegacy modulation and/or a modulation determined for up to 5 DL carriersand/or based on table 1, the other modulation or coding may be based ona number of DL carriers larger than the legacy number and/or larger than5 and/or corresponding to a number of DL carriers configured, which maybe larger than 5 and/or a legacy number. The format/s, e.g. modulationsand/or coding/s, and/or data representing the format/s, e.g. modulationsand/or coding/s, may be stored in a memory of the network node and/or beobtained by the network node, e.g. read and/or received, e.g. from anetwork and/or another network node and/or a terminal. The method and/ornetwork node may be a network node as described herein, e.g. in regardsto determining and/or adjusting the HARQ signaling format and/ormodulation and/or coding of the terminal. One of the format/s and/ormodulations and/or coding/s used for blind detection may be a modulationfor HARQ/ACK information and/or feedback determined and/or adjustedand/or configured to the terminal by network node (or the network oranother network node, which may transmit and/or communicatecorresponding data/information to the network node) according to any ofthe variants described herein.

Generally, a network node may be adapted for, and/or comprise areceiving module for, and/or perform (e.g., as part of one of the methodfor operating a network node described herein) receiving of HARQfeedback from the terminal. Receiving may be based on the determinedand/or adjusted HARQ signaling format. It may be considered thatreceiving comprises detecting and/or demodulating and/or decodingreceived HARQ feedback based on the determined and/or adjusted HARDsignaling format, and/or based on the assumption that the HARQ feedbackis transmitted based on the determined and/or adjusted HARQ signalingformat.

There is generally suggested to (for modulation of HARQ-ACK):

-   -   Adjust the HARQ signaling format and/or number of HARQ-ACK        symbols and/or channel coding. in particular on PUSCH, in        accordance with the number of configured and/or scheduled and/or        activated DL carriers and/or    -   Use a new equation to calculate the number of HARQ-ACK symbols        on PUSCH so that it is not scaled linearly with the number of        HARQ-ACK bits and/or

Use different formats to transmit HARQ-ACK feedback for carriersbelonging to different sets

Generally, the number of DL carriers (e.g. configured for or to theterminal), which may be configured in particular for CA (in particularDL CA), in particular may be larger than 2, larger than 5, larger than10 and/or 32 or less, and/or in particular may be between (including theborders) 6 and 32.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a terminal 10, which may be implemented inthis example as a user equipment. Terminal 10 comprises controlcircuitry 20, which may comprise a controller connected to a memory. Areceiving module and/or transmitting module and/or control or processingmodule and/or CIS receiving module and/or scheduling module, may beimplemented in and/or executable by, the control circuitry 20, inparticular as module in the controller. Terminal 10 also comprises radiocircuitry 22 providing receiving and transmitting or transceivingfunctionality, the radio circuitry 22 connected or connectable to thecontrol circuitry. An antenna circuitry 24 of the terminal 10 isconnected or connectable to the radio circuitry 22 to collect or sendand/or amplify signals. Radio circuitry 22 and the control circuitry 20controlling it are configured for cellular communication with a networkon a first cell/carrier and a second cell/carrier, in particularutilizing E-UTRAN/LTE resources as described herein. The terminal 10 maybe adapted to carry out any of the methods for operating a terminaldisclosed herein; in particular, it may comprise correspondingcircuitry, e.g. control circuitry. Modules of a terminal as describedherein may be implemented in software and/or hardware and/or firmware incorresponding circuitry.

FIG. 3 schematically show a network node or base station 100, which inparticular may be an eNodeB. Network node 100 comprises controlcircuitry 120, which may comprise a controller connected to a memory. Areceiving module and/or transmitting module and/or control or processingmodule and/or scheduling module and/or modulation and/or configuringmodule, may be implemented in and/or executable by the control circuitry120. The control circuitry is connected to control radio circuitry 122of the network node 100, which provides receiver and transmitter and/ortransceiver functionality. An antenna circuitry 124 may be connected orconnectable to radio circuitry 122 for signal reception or transmittanceand/or amplification. The network node 100 may be adapted to carry outany of the methods for operating a network node disclosed herein; inparticular, it may comprise corresponding circuitry, e.g. controlcircuitry. Modules of a network node as described herein may beimplemented in software and/or hardware and/or firmware in correspondingcircuitry.

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of an exemplary method for operating a networknode, which may be any of the network nodes as described herein. Themethod may comprise an action NS10 of determining and/or adjusting aHARQ signaling format for a terminal configured for carrier aggregationbased on a number of DL carriers and/or a number of HARQ bits configuredfor the terminal. The method may comprise an action NS12 of configuringthe terminal for and/or with the determined and/or adjusted HARQsignaling format.

FIG. 5 shows an exemplary network node, which may be any of the networknodes described herein. The network node comprises a module NM10 forperforming action NS10. Optionally, the network node may comprise amodule NM12 for performing action NS12.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of an exemplary method for operating aterminal, which may be any of the terminals as described herein. Theterminal is adapted for carrier aggregation. The method may comprise anaction TS10 of determining and/or adjusting a HARQ signaling formatbased on a number of DL carriers and/or a number of HARQ bits configuredfor the terminal. The method may comprise an action TS12 of transmittingHARQ feedback based on the HARQ signaling format.

FIG. 7 shows an exemplary terminal, which may be any of the terminalsdescribed herein. The terminal comprises a module TM10 for performingaction TS10. Optionally, the network node may comprise a module TM12 forperforming action TS12.

Generally, it may be considered that a HARQ signaling format comprisesand/or determines and/or defines a modulation and/or number of symbolsand/or a coding, e.g. for a HARQ transmission, e.g. to be utilizedand/or which is utilized for HARQ transmission (e.g. for modulatingand/or coding HARQ information and/or HARQ data, for example ACK/NACKand/or corresponding HARQ identifiers), in particular to be used by aterminal and/or UE (for encoding) and/or a network node (for decoding).It should be noted that for each coding, there may be an encoding and acorresponding decoding, which may be associated to each other in areversible manner, such that encoded data may be decoded (and viceversa) in a reproducible and reversible manner (the latter possiblywithin a given probability of error) such that decoded data correspondsto the data encoded. Generally, a HARQ signaling format may determineand/or define and/or indicate the number of bits a HARQ data block(after modulating and/or encoding the HARQ data to be transmitted withina block) contains.

Coding may comprise error detection coding and/or forward errorcorrection coding (which may also be referred to as channel coding orchannel encoding). Coding may generally comprise encoding (e.g., by a UEand/or a corresponding module of the UE) and/or decoding (e.g., by anetwork node and/or a corresponding module of the node). Encoding inparticular may pertain to HARQ data or information, which may compriseACK/NACK signaling (e.g., one or more ACK/NACK bits) and/orcorresponding identifiers, e.g. a HARQ process identifier. Such data orinformation may comprise channel state information or channel qualityinformation and/or information pertaining to measurements performed bythe terminal, e.g. encoded (coded) into a common block of data (e.g. atransport block or block of HARQ information or HARQ data or HARQ datablock), Coding HARQ information may generally be performed by a terminalor UE, decoding HARQ information may be performed by a network node. Toa coding (in particular encoding), a number of encoding bits (which maybe called coding size or coding length) may be associated.

For decoding, the decoding node (e.g. network node) may assume a formator coding, e.g. based on DL carrier number and/or a configurationprovided to the encoding node, e.g. terminal or UE (the terminal or UEmay generally be adapted to acknowledge receipt of a configuration tothe configuring node, e.g. network node).

Generally, carrier aggregation (CA) may refer to the concept of a radioconnection and/or communication link between a wireless and/or cellularcommunication network and/or network node and a terminal comprising aplurality of carriers for at least one direction of transmission (e.g.DL and/or UL), as well as to the aggregate of carriers. A correspondingcommunication link may be referred to as carrier aggregatedcommunication link or CA communication link; carriers in a carrieraggregate may be referred to as component carriers (CC). In such a link,data may be transmitted over more than one of the carriers and/or allthe carriers of the carrier aggregation (the aggregate of carriers). Acarrier aggregation may comprise one (or more) dedicated controlcarriers and/or primary carriers (which may e.g. called primarycomponent carrier or PCC), over which control information may betransmitted, wherein the control information may refer to the primarycarrier and other carriers, which may be referred to as secondarycarriers (or secondary component carrier, SCC).

Control information may comprise scheduling information and/orallocation data and/or HARQ signaling, in particular in regards to a DLconnection. A communication link may comprise an UL connection and/or aDL connection. It may be considered that a communication link comprisedifferent carriers and/or carrier aggregations for UL and/or DL; inparticular, it may be considered that a communication link comprises oneor more carriers and/or carrier aggregations for DL and a differentnumber of carriers and/or carrier aggregations for UL, which may usedifferent frequencies than the DL carriers. Carriers in a carrieraggregation may comprise carrier/s in a licensed spectrum and/orcarrier/s in an unlicensed spectrum. In particular, carrier/s of anunlicensed spectrum may be secondary carriers of a carrier aggregation.It may be considered that primary carriers are in a licensed spectrum.Generally, before accessing a carrier in an unlicensed spectrum fortransmission, a listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure may be performed,e.g. by a correspondingly adapted terminal or network node.

Carriers of a carrier aggregation may belong to different frequencybands, e.g. as defined in a given standard as LTE and/or in terms offrequency and/or spectral width, and/or whether they are licensed ornot. Different carriers may be associated to different frequency bands;it may be considered that different frequency bands have differentcarriers (one or more than one carrier per frequency band may generallybe envisaged) associated to them. Licensed bands or spectra may havedifferent frequency bands than unlicensed bands or spectra. A controlcarrier may be a primary carrier used for control informationtransmission, e.g. for the transmission of HARQ feedback and/or for CSIinformation and/or scheduling requests. Generally, a DL carrieraggregation may comprise more than 2, more particular more than 5, inparticular between 6 and 32 carriers (including the boundary values).

There may be considered a network node adapted for performing any one ofthe methods for operating a network node described herein and/or forconfiguring a terminal as described herein.

There may be considered a terminal adapted for performing any one of themethods for operating a terminal described herein and/or for performingbundling as described herein, in particular according to a configurationconfigured by a network or network node or system.

There is also disclosed a program product comprising code executable bycontrol circuitry, the code causing the control circuitry to carry outand/or control any one of the method for operating a terminal or networknode as described herein, in particular if executed on controlcircuitry, which may be control circuitry of a terminal or a networknode as described herein.

Moreover, there is disclosed a storage medium or carrier medium carryingand/or storing at least any one of the program products described hereinand/or code executable by control circuitry, the code causing thecontrol circuitry to perform and/or control at least any one of themethods described herein. Generally, a carrier medium may be accessibleand/or readable and/or receivable by control circuitry. Storing dataand/or a program product and/or code may be seen as part of carryingdata and/or a program product and/or code. A carrier medium generallymay comprise a guiding/transporting medium and/or a storage medium. Aguiding/transporting medium may be adapted to carry and/or carry and/orstore signals, in particular electromagnetic signals and/or electricalsignals and/or magnetic signals and/or optical signals. A carriermedium, in particular a guiding/transporting medium, may be adapted toguide such signals to carry them. A carrier medium, in particular aguiding/transporting medium, may comprise the electromagnetic field,e.g. radio waves or microwaves, and/or optically transmissive material,e.g. glass fiber, and/or cable. A storage medium may comprise at leastone of a memory, which may be volatile or non-volatile, a buffer, acache, an optical disc, magnetic memory, flash memory, etc.

An uplink carrier may generally be or indicate a carrier and/orfrequency band intended and/or used for uplink transmissions.

A downlink carrier may generally be or indicate a carrier and/orfrequency band intended and/or used for downlink transmissions.

A terminal being configured with a cell and/or carrier may be in a statein which it may communicate (transmit and/or receive data) using thecell or carrier, e.g. being registered with the network forcommunication and/or being synchronized to the cell and/or carrier.

Generally, a node being connected or connectable to a terminal withand/or via a cell or carrier may be adapted for communicating and/orcommunicate with the terminal using this cell or carrier and/or comprisea corresponding communication link. A terminal being connected orconnectable to a network with a cell or carrier may be adapted forcommunicating and/or communicate with the terminal using this cell orcarrier. Connection to a network may refer to connection to at least onenode of the network.

Data may refer to any kind of data, in particular any one of and/or anycombination of control data or user data or payload data. Control datamay refer to data controlling and/or scheduling and/or pertaining to theprocess of data transmission and/or the network or terminal operation.

Receiving or transmitting on a cell or carrier may refer to receiving ortransmitting utilizing a frequency (band) or spectrum associated to thecell or carrier.

A wireless communication network may comprise at least one network node,in particular a network node as described herein. A terminal connectedor communicating with a network may be considered to be connected orcommunicating with at least one network node, in particular any one ofthe network nodes described herein.

In the context of this description, wireless communication may becommunication, in particular transmission and/or reception of data, viaelectromagnetic waves and/or an air interface, in particular radiowaves, e.g. in a wireless communication network and/or utilizing a radioaccess technology (RAT). The communication may involve one or more thanone terminal connected to a wireless communication network and/or morethan one node of a wireless communication network and/or in a wirelesscommunication network. It may be envisioned that a node in or forcommunication, and/or in, of or for a wireless communication network isadapted for communication utilizing one or more RATs, in particularLTE/E-UTRA. A communication may generally involve transmitting and/orreceiving messages, in particular in the form of packet data. A messageor packet may comprise control and/or configuration data and/or payloaddata and/or represent and/or comprise a batch of physical layertransmissions. Control and/or configuration data may refer to datapertaining to the process of communication and/or nodes and/or terminalsof the communication. It may, e.g., include address data referring to anode or terminal of the communication and/or data pertaining to thetransmission mode and/or spectral configuration and/or frequency and/orcoding and/or timing and/or bandwidth as data pertaining to the processof communication or transmission, e.g. in a header. Each node orterminal involved in communication may comprise radio circuitry and/orcontrol circuitry and/or antenna circuitry, which may be arranged toutilize and/or implement one or more than one radio access technologies.Radio circuitry of a node or terminal may generally be adapted for thetransmission and/or reception of radio waves, and in particular maycomprise a corresponding transmitter and/or receiver and/or transceiver,which may be connected or connectable to antenna circuitry and/orcontrol circuitry. Control circuitry of a node or terminal may comprisea controller and/or memory arranged to be accessible for the controllerfor read and/or write access. The controller may be arranged to controlthe communication and/or the radio circuitry and/or provide additionalservices. Circuitry of a node or terminal, in particular controlcircuitry, e.g. a controller, may be programmed to provide thefunctionality described herein. A corresponding program code may bestored in an associated memory and/or storage medium and/or be hardwiredand/or provided as firmware and/or software and/or in hardware. Acontroller may generally comprise a processor and/or microprocessorand/or microcontroller and/or FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array)device and/or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) device.More specifically, it may be considered that control circuitry comprisesand/or may be connected or connectable to memory, which may be adaptedto be accessible for reading and/or writing by the controller and/orcontrol circuitry. Radio access technology may generally comprise, e.g.,Bluetooth and/or Wifi and/or WIMAX and/or cdma2000 and/or GERAN and/orUTRAN and/or in particular E-Utran and/or LTE. A communication may inparticular comprise a physical layer (PHY) transmission and/orreception, onto which logical channels and/or logical transmissionand/or receptions may be imprinted or layered.

A node of a wireless communication network may be implemented as aterminal and/or user equipment and/or base station and/or relay nodeand/or any device generally adapted for communication in a wirelesscommunication network, in particular cellular communication.

A modulation for HARQ/ACK transmission may comprise a number of symbolsQ′ used for modulation and/or an encoding and/or a format, e.g. anextended format, which may comprise the number of bits to modulate.Allocation data pertaining to modulation may comprise data indicating(e.g. to a terminal), a number of symbols Q′ to be used for modulationand/or an encoding and/or a format, e.g. an extended format, which maycomprise the number of bits to modulate.

A cellular network may comprise a network node, in particular a radionetwork node, which may be connected or connectable to a core network,e.g. a core network with an evolved network core, e.g. according to LTE.A network node may e.g. be a base station. The connection between thenetwork node and the core network/network core may be at least partlybased on a cable/landline connection. Operation and/or communicationand/or exchange of signals involving part of the core network, inparticular layers above a base station or eNB, and/or via a predefinedcell structure provided by a base station or eNB, may be considered tobe of cellular nature or be called cellular operation. Operation and/orcommunication and/or exchange of signals without involvement of layersabove a base station and/or without utilizing a predefined cellstructure provided by a base station or eNB, may be considered to be D2Dcommunication or operation, in particular, if it utilizes the radioresources, in particular carriers and/or frequencies, and/or equipment(e.g. circuitry like radio circuitry and/or antenna circuitry, inparticular transmitter and/or receiver and/or transceiver) providedand/or used for cellular operation.

A terminal may be implemented as a user equipment. A terminal or a userequipment (UE) may generally be a device configured for wirelessdevice-to-device communication and/or a terminal for a wireless and/orcellular network, in particular a mobile terminal, for example a mobilephone, smart phone, tablet, PDA, etc. A user equipment or terminal maybe a node of or for a wireless communication network as describedherein, e.g. if it takes over some control and/or relay functionalityfor another terminal or node. It may be envisioned that terminal or auser equipment is adapted for one or more RATs, in particularLTE/E-UTRA. A terminal or user equipment may generally be proximityservices (ProSe) enabled, which may mean it is D2D capable or enabled.It may be considered that a terminal or user equipment comprises radiocircuitry and/control circuitry for wireless communication. Radiocircuitry may comprise for example a receiver device and/or transmitterdevice and/or transceiver device. Control circuitry may include acontroller, which may comprise a microprocessor and/or microcontrollerand/or FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) device and/or ASIC(Application Specific Integrated Circuit) device. It may be consideredthat control circuitry comprises or may be connected or connectable tomemory, which may be adapted to be accessible for reading and/or writingby the controller and/or control circuitry. It may be considered that aterminal or user equipment is configured to be a terminal or userequipment adapted for LTE/E-UTRAN.

A network node may be a base station, which may be any kind of basestation of a wireless and/or cellular network adapted to serve one ormore terminals or user equipments. It may be considered that a basestation is a node or network node of a wireless communication network. Anetwork node or base station may be adapted to provide and/or defineand/or to serve one or more cells of the network and/or to allocatefrequency and/or time resources for communication to one or more nodesor terminals of a network. Generally, any node adapted to provide suchfunctionality may be considered a base station. It may be consideredthat a base station or more generally a network node, in particular aradio network node, comprises radio circuitry and/or control circuitryfor wireless communication. It may be envisioned that a base station ornetwork node is adapted for one or more RATs, in particular LTE/E-UTRA.Radio circuitry may comprise for example a receiver device and/ortransmitter device and/or transceiver device. Control circuitry mayinclude a controller, which may comprise a microprocessor and/ormicrocontroller and/or FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) deviceand/or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) device. It may beconsidered that control circuitry comprises or may be connected orconnectable to memory, which may be adapted to be accessible for readingand/or writing by the controller and/or control circuitry. A basestation may be arranged to be a node of a wireless communicationnetwork, in particular configured for and/or to enable and/or tofacilitate and/or to participate in cellular communication, e.g. as adevice directly involved or as an auxiliary and/or coordinating node.Generally, a base station may be arranged to communicate with a corenetwork and/or to provide services and/or control to one or more userequipments and/or to relay and/or transport communications and/or databetween one or more user equipments and a core network and/or anotherbase station and/or be Proximity Service enabled. An eNodeB (eNB) may beenvisioned as an example of a base station, e.g. according to an LTEstandard. A base station may generally be proximity service enabledand/or to provide corresponding services. It may be considered that abase station is configured as or connected or connectable to an EvolvedPacket Core (EPC) and/or to provide and/or connect to correspondingfunctionality. The functionality and/or multiple different functions ofa base station may be distributed over one or more different devicesand/or physical locations and/or nodes. A base station may be consideredto be a node of a wireless communication network. Generally, a basestation may be considered to be configured to be a coordinating nodeand/or to allocate resources in particular for cellular communicationbetween two nodes or terminals of a wireless communication network, inparticular two user equipments.

It may be considered for cellular communication there is provided atleast one uplink (UL) connection and/or channel and/or carrier and atleast one downlink (DL) connection and/or channel and/or carrier, e.g.via and/or defining a cell, which may be provided by a network node, inparticular a base station or eNodeB. An uplink direction may refer to adata transfer direction from a terminal to a network node, e.g. basestation and/or relay station. A downlink direction may refer to a datatransfer direction from a network node, e.g. base station and/or relaynode, to a terminal. UL and DL may be associated to different frequencyresources, e.g. carriers and/or spectral bands. A cell may comprise atleast one uplink carrier and at least one downlink carrier, which mayhave different frequency bands. A network node, e.g. a base station oreNodeB, may be adapted to provide and/or define and/or control one ormore cells, e.g. a PCell and/or a LA cell.

A network node, in particular a base station, and/or a terminal, inparticular a UE, may be adapted for communication in spectral bands(frequency bands) licensed and/or defined for LTE. In addition, anetwork node, in particular a base station/eNB, and/or a terminal, inparticular a UE, may be adapted for communication in freely availableand/or unlicensed/LTE-unlicensed spectral bands (frequency bands), e.g.around 5 GHz.

Configuring a terminal or wireless device or node may involveinstructing and/or causing the wireless device or node to change itsconfiguration, e.g. at least one setting and/or register entry and/oroperational mode. A terminal or wireless device or node may be adaptedto configure itself, e.g. according to information or data in a memoryof the terminal or wireless device. Configuring a node or terminal orwireless device by another device or node or a network may refer toand/or comprise transmitting information and/or data and/or instructionsto the wireless device or node by the other device or node or thenetwork, e.g. allocation data and/or scheduling data and/or schedulinggrants. Configuring a terminal may include sending allocation data tothe terminal indication which modulation and/or encoding to use.

A modulation of and/or modulating HARQ/ACK information/feedback mayinclude an encoding and/or performing encoding. Allocation dataconfiguring or indicating a modulation may include an indication whichencoding to use for HARQ/ACK information/feedback. The term modulationmay be used to refer to data (e.g. allocation data) representing and/orindicating the modulation used and/or to be used by a terminal.

A wireless communication network may comprise a radio access network(RAN), which may be adapted to perform according to one or morestandards, in particular LTE, and/or radio access technologies (RAT).

A network device or node and/or a wireless device may be or comprise asoftware/program arrangement arranged to be executable by a hardwaredevice, e.g. control circuitry, and/or storable in a memory, which mayprovide the described functionality and/or corresponding controlfunctionality.

A cellular network or mobile or wireless communication network maycomprise e.g. an LTE network (FDD or TDD), UTRA network, CDMA network,WiMAX, GSM network, any network employing any one or more radio accesstechnologies (RATs) for cellular operation. The description herein isgiven for LTE, but it is not limited to the LTE RAT.

RAT (radio access technology) may generally include: e.g. LTE FDD, LTETDD, GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, WiFi, WLAN, WiMAX, etc.

A storage medium may be adapted to store data and/or store instructionsexecutable by control circuitry and/or a computing device, theinstruction causing the control circuitry and/or computing device tocarry out and/or control any one of the methods described herein whenexecuted by the control circuitry and/or computing device. A storagemedium may generally be computer-readable, e.g. an optical disc and/ormagnetic memory and/or a volatile or non-volatile memory and/or flashmemory and/or RAM and/or ROM and/or EPROM and/or EEPROM and/or buffermemory and/or cache memory and/or a database.

Resources or communication resources or radio resources may generally befrequency and/or time resources (which may be called time/frequencyresources). Allocated or scheduled resources may comprise and/or referto frequency-related information, in particular regarding one or morecarriers and/or bandwidth and/or subcarriers and/or time-relatedinformation, in particular regarding frames and/or slots and/orsubframes, and/or regarding resource blocks and/or time/frequencyhopping information. Allocated resources may in particular refer to ULresources, e.g. UL resources for a first wireless device to transmit toand/or for a second wireless device. Transmitting on allocated resourcesand/or utilizing allocated resources may comprise transmitting data onthe resources allocated, e.g. on the frequency and/or subcarrier and/orcarrier and/or timeslots or subframes indicated. It may generally beconsidered that allocated resources may be released and/or de-allocated.A network or a node of a network, e.g. an allocation or network node,may be adapted to determine and/or transmit corresponding allocationdata indicating release or de-allocation of resources to one or morewireless devices, in particular to a first wireless device.

Allocation data may be considered to be data indicating and/or grantingresources allocated by the controlling or allocation node, in particulardata identifying or indicating which resources are reserved or allocatedfor communication for a wireless device and/or which resources awireless device may use for communication and/or data indicating aresource grant or release. A grant or resource or scheduling grant maybe considered to be one example of allocation data. Allocation data mayin particular comprise information and/or instruction regarding aconfiguration and/or for configuring a terminal, e.g. indicating amodulation to use, which may comprise an encoding and/or a number ofsymbols Q′ to be used. Such information may comprise e.g. informationabout which carriers (and/or respective HARQ feedback) to bundle, bundlesize, method to bundle (e.g. which operations to perform, e.g. logicaloperations), etc., in particular information pertaining to and/orindicating the embodiments and methods described herein. It may beconsidered that an allocation node or network node is adapted totransmit allocation data directly to a node or wireless device and/orindirectly, e.g. via a relay node and/or another node or base station.Allocation data may comprise control data and/or be part of or form amessage, in particular according to a pre-defined format, for example aDCI format, which may be defined in a standard, e.g. LTE. Allocationdata may comprise configuration data, which may comprise instruction toconfigure and/or set a user equipment for a specific operation mode,e.g. in regards to the use of receiver and/or transmitter and/ortransceiver and/or use of transmission (e.g. TM) and/or reception mode,and/or may comprise scheduling data, e.g. granting resources and/orindicating resources to be used for transmission and/or reception. Ascheduling assignment may be considered to represent scheduling dataand/or be seen as an example of allocation data. A scheduling assignmentmay in particular refer to and/or indicate resources to be used forcommunication or operation.

HARQ ACK/NACK (acknowledge for a correctly received block of data, notacknowledged for a not correctly received block of data) feedback mayrefer to feedback (e.g. a corresponding signal transmitted, which maycomprise 1 or more bits) provided (e.g. on the UL) by a terminal, e.g.to a network or network node in response to data transmitted to it (e.g.on the DL). HARQ ACK/NACK information or feedback (or shorter HARQ-ACKinformation or feedback or HARQ information or feedback or just HARQ)may include transmitting a signal/bot indicating whether a transportblock of data received by the terminal has been receiver correctly ornot. HARQ and/or determining HARQ may include decoding and/or errordetection procedures to determine correct reception. There may bedefined a number of HARQ processes with associated HARQ ids or numbers,which may refer to individual data streams; a HARQ response or feedbackfrom a terminal (e.g. a HARQ bit) may be associated to one of the HARQprocesses or ids. In some variant, HARQ feedback may comprise one bitper DL carrier; in other variant, HARQ feedback may comprise two (ormore than two) bits per carrier, e.g. dependent on the rank used.Generally, HARQ feedback may be transmitted (and/or determined, e.g.based on received signals and/or transport blocks and/or data and/orHARQ process identifiers) by a terminal, and/or a terminal may beadapted for, and/or comprise a HARQ module for, determining (e.g., asmentioned above) and/or transmitting HARQ feedback, in particular basedon and/or using a configuration and/or a modulation configured, e.g. amodulation determined and/or configured as described herein.Transmitting HARQ may generally be performed on a UL control channel,e.g. PUSCH.

A coding type and/or code and/or corresponding algorithm may be forerror detection coding or channel coding. A coding type for channelcoding may in particular be a convolutional code or turbo code or RMcode

Determining a value may comprise figuring out and/or setting this value,e.g. based on data provided in a memory and/or a configuration and/orreceived. Adjusting a value may comprise setting and/or changing thevalue, e.g. based on determining a value.

Some useful abbreviations include:

-   -   3GPP 3rd Generation Partnership Project    -   Ack/Nack Acknowledgment/Non-Acknowledgement, also A/N    -   AP Access point    -   B1, B2, . . . Bn Bandwidth of signals, in particular carrier        bandwidth Bn assigned to corresponding carrier or frequency f1,        f2, . . . , fn    -   BER/BLER Bit Error Rate, BLock Error Rate;    -   BS Base Station    -   CA Carrier Aggregation    -   CCA Clear Channel Assessment    -   CIS Transmission Confirmation Signal    -   CoMP Coordinated Multiple Point Transmission and Reception    -   CQI Channel Quality Information    -   CRS Cell-specific Reference Signal    -   CSI Channel State Information    -   CSI-RS CSI reference signal    -   D2D Device-to-device    -   DCI Downlink Control Information    -   DL Downlink        -   Downlink; generally referring to transmission of data to a            node/into a direction further away from network core            (physically and/or logically); in particular from a base            station or eNodeB terminal; more generally, may refer to            transmissions received by a terminal or node (e.g. in a D2D            environment); often uses specified spectrum/bandwidth            different from UL (e.g. LTE)    -   DMRS Demodulation Reference Signals    -   DRS Discovery Reference Signal    -   DTX Discontinuous Transmission    -   eNB evolved NodeB, base station    -   eNB evolved NodeB; a form of base station, also called eNodeB    -   EPDCCH Enhanced Physical DL Control CHannel    -   E-UTRA/N Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access/Network, an        example of a RAT    -   f1, f2, f3, . . . , fn carriers/carrier frequencies; different        numbers may indicate that the referenced carriers/frequencies        are different    -   f1_DL, . . . , fn_DL Carrier for Downlink/in Downlink frequency        or band    -   f1_UL, . . . , fn_UL Carrier for Uplink/in Uplink frequency or        band    -   FDD Frequency Division Duplexing    -   HARQ Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest    -   ID Identity    -   L1 Layer 1    -   L2 Layer 2    -   LA Licensed Assisted    -   LA Licensed Assisted Access    -   LBT Listen-before-talk    -   LTE Long Term Evolution, a telecommunications standard    -   MAC Medium Access Control    -   MBSFN Multiple Broadcast Single Frequency Network    -   MCS Modulation and Coding Scheme    -   MDT Minimisation of Drive Test    -   NW Network    -   O&M Operational and Maintenance    -   OFDM Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing    -   OSS Operational Support Systems    -   PC Power Control    -   PCFICH Physical Control Format Indicator Channel    -   PDCCH Physical Downlink Control Channel    -   PDCCH Physical DL Control CHannel    -   PH Power Headroom    -   PHR Power Headroom Report    -   PMI Precoding Matrix Indicator    -   PRB Physical Resource Block    -   PSS Primary Synchronization Signal    -   PUCCH Physical Uplink Control Channel    -   PUSCH Physical Uplink Shared CHannel    -   RA Random Access    -   RACH Random Access CHannel    -   RAT Radio Access Technology    -   RB Resource Block    -   RE Resource Element    -   RI Rank Indicator    -   RRC Radio Resource Control    -   RRH Remote radio head    -   RRM Radio Resource Management    -   RRM Radio Resource Management    -   RRU Remote radio unit    -   RSRP Reference signal received power    -   RSRQ Reference signal received quality    -   RSSI Received signal strength indicator    -   RX reception/receiver, reception-related    -   SA Scheduling Assignment    -   SCell Secondary Cell    -   SFN Single Frequency Network    -   SINR/SNR Signal-to-Noise-and-Interference Ratio; Signal-to-Noise        Ratio    -   SON Self Organizing Network    -   SR Scheduling Request    -   SRS Sounding Reference Signal    -   SSS Secondary Synchronization Signal    -   TDD Time Division Duplexing    -   TPC Transmit Power Control    -   TTI Transmission-Time Interval    -   TX transmission/transmitter, transmission-related    -   UE User Equipment    -   USCH Uplink Shared CHannel    -   UL Uplink; generally referring to transmission of data to a        node/into a direction closer to a network core (physically        and/or logically); in particular from a D2D enabled node or UE        to a base station or eNodeB; in the context of D2D, it may refer        to the spectrum/bandwidth utilized for transmitting in D2D,        which may be the same used for UL communication to a eNB in        cellular communication; in some D2D variants, transmission by        all devices involved in D2D communication may in some variants        generally be in UL spectrum/bandwidth/carrier/frequency;        generally, UL may refer to transmission by a terminal (e.g. to a        network or network node or another terminal, for example in a        D2D context).

These and other abbreviations may be used according to LTE standarddefinitions.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for operating a network node of a wireless communication network, the method comprising: determining and/or adjusting a Hybrid Automatic Repeat request (HARQ) signaling format for a terminal configured for carrier aggregation based on a number of downlink carriers and/or a number of HARQ bits configured for the terminal.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the terminal for and/or with the determined and/or adjusted HARQ signaling format.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining and/or adjusting the HARQ signaling format comprises determining and/or adjusting error detection coding.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining and/or adjusting the HARQ signaling format comprises determining and/or adjusting either or both of a modulation and a number of symbols used for modulation.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining and/or adjusting the HARQ signaling format comprises adjusting and/or determining an HARQ acknowledgement offset.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining and/or adjusting the HARQ signaling format comprises determining whether the number of HARQ bits is above a bit threshold and/or whether the number of DL carriers is above
 5. 7. A network node for a wireless communication network, the network node comprising: a processor; memory containing instruction executable by the processor whereby the network node is operative to: determine and/or adjust a Hybrid Automatic Repeat request (HARQ) signaling format for a terminal configured for carrier aggregation based on a number of DL carriers and/or a number of HARQ bits configured for the terminal.
 8. The network node of claim 7, wherein the instructions are such that the network node is operative to configure the terminal for and/or with the determined and/or adjusted HARQ signaling format.
 9. The network node of claim 7, wherein the instructions are such that the network node is operative to determine and/or adjust the HARQ signaling by determining and/or adjusting error detection coding.
 10. The network node of claim 7, wherein the instructions are such that the network node is operative to determine and/or adjust the HARQ signaling by determining and/or adjusting a modulation and/or a number of symbols used for modulation.
 11. The network node of claim 7, wherein the instructions are such that the network node is operative to determine and/or adjust the HARQ signaling format by adjusting and/or determining an HARQ-acknowledgement offset.
 12. The network node of claim 7, wherein the instructions are such that the network node is operative to determine and/or adjust the HARQ signaling by determining whether the number of HARQ bits is above a bit threshold and/or whether the number of DL carriers is above
 5. 13. A method for operating a terminal in a wireless communication network, the terminal being configured for carrier aggregation, the method comprising: determining and/or adjusting a Hybrid Automatic Repeat request (HARQ) signaling format of the terminal based on a number of downlink carriers and/or a number of HARQ bits configured for the terminal.
 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting HARQ feedback based on the HARQ signaling format.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining and/or adjusting the HARQ signaling format comprises determining and/or adjusting error detection coding.
 16. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining and/or adjusting the HARQ signaling format comprises determining and/or adjusting a modulation and/or a number of symbols used for modulation.
 17. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining and/or adjusting the HARQ signaling format comprises adjusting and/or determining an HARQ acknowledgement offset.
 18. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining and/or adjusting an HARQ signaling format comprises determining whether the number of HARQ bits is above a bit threshold and/or whether the number of DL carriers is above
 5. 19. A terminal for a wireless communication network, the terminal adapted for carrier aggregation and comprising: a processor; memory containing instruction executable by the processor whereby the terminal is operative to: determine and/or adjust a Hybrid Automatic Repeat request (HARQ) signaling format based on a number of downlink carriers and/or a number of HARQ bits configured for the terminal.
 20. The terminal of claim 19, wherein the instructions are such that the terminal is operative to transmit HARQ feedback based on the HARQ signaling format.
 21. The terminal of claim 19, wherein the instructions are such that the terminal is operative to determine and/or adjust the HARQ signaling format by determining and/or adjusting error detection coding.
 22. The terminal of claim 19, wherein the instructions are such that the terminal is operative to determine and/or adjust the HARQ signaling format by determining and/or adjusting a modulation and/or a number of symbols used for modulation.
 23. The terminal of claim 19, wherein the instructions are such that the terminal is operative to determine and/or adjust the HARQ signaling format by adjusting and/or determining a HARQ-acknowledgement offset.
 24. The terminal of claim 19, wherein the instructions are such that the terminal is operative to determine and/or adjust the HARQ signaling format by determining whether the number of HARQ bits is above a bit threshold and/or whether the number of DL carriers is above
 5. 25. A computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium for controlling operation of a network node of a wireless communication network, the computer program product comprising software instructions which, when run on one or more control circuits of the network node, causes the network node to: determine and/or adjust a Hybrid Automatic Repeat request (HARQ) signaling format for a terminal configured for carrier aggregation based on a number of downlink carriers and/or a number of HARQ bits configured for the terminal.
 26. A computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium for controlling operation of a terminal in a wireless communication network, the terminal configured for carrier aggregation, the computer program product comprising software instructions which, when run on one or more control circuits of the terminal, causes the terminal node to: determine and/or adjust a Hybrid Automatic Repeat request (HARQ) signaling format of the terminal based on a number of downlink carriers and/or a number of HARQ bits configured for the terminal. 